Islam is an all-encompassing religion. It is a way of life, a religion which encapsulates every aspect of the life of Ummah in the Quran and Hadith (traditions/sayings and practices) of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh).

From the way we eat, talk, sleep, relate to fellow human beings, and several other daily routines, Islam has not left any area untouched.

One of the practices of Muslims strictly regulated by Islam is the slaughtering of animals like fowl or chicken, ram, goat, cow, sheep, among others. In Islam, it is haram (prohibited/forbidden) to eat meat of which Allah's name has not been mentioned. Quran 6:121 and 6: 18 explicitly elucidate on this as it is regarded as a transgression to eat meat of an animal slaughtered without Allah's invocation.

Many Muslims know this and strictly observe it as a commandment of their creator but few people actually know the inherent values and benefits in pronouncing Allah's name before slaughtering animal of any sort. Even non-believers are aware of the practice among Muslims as it has become a norm that Muslims slaughter their animals with 'Bismillahi Allahu Akbar' (in the name of Allah, the Greatest).

The imperative of slaughtering animals with Allah's name was provided on Wednesday October 8 when the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal awarded certificate of legality (halal) to Fresh Country Chicken Enterprises, a firm dealing in integrated Chicken production at the Shonga Farm in Kwara State.

The certificate is an affirmation that the chicken from the firm are slaughtered in accordance with the provisions of the Sharia regarding slaughtering of animals.

The award of certificate was preceded by a visit to the farm by the Sharia Court team led by the Grand Khadi, Justice Salihu Olohuntoyin Mohammed, on the invitation of the Emir of Shonga, Dr. Haliru Yahaya, who sought the legal opinion of Islamic scholars at the court on the position of the Sharia with regard to chicken slaughtered by the company.

A Khadi of the court, Justice Adam Idris, said one of the divine regulations of Allah "is not to eat of that over which Allah's name was not mentioned particularly the slaughtered animals of cattle and birds."Therefore the believers keep observing this injunction, and never ate of the slaughtered animals except those over which Allah's name has been pronounced"

Prof. Mohammad Nabi Al-Sharif of Damascus University stated that he was "approached by a group of Muslims to research into the difference between animals that are legitimately slaughtered and those that are not using all the available laboratory accessories within their environment. In other words, the research is to clarify the disparity between the meat of the animals on which Allah's name was pronounced during slaughtering, and that of animals slaughtered without this divine pronouncement."

The Khadi added: "He further stated that the researchers performed the required examinations of the two samples of meat in conformity with scientific standard of test for microbial contamination so that they could get some firm proof which demonstrates the relevance and desirability of mentioning Allah's name.

"The findings of the study were decisively dazzling, for it was proved that the meat of every animal slaughtered with the name of Allah was free from germs and fungi, in contrast with the meat taken from the slaughtered animals over which Allah's name was not pronounced, where a clear abundant microbiological growth was seen," he said.

According to the jurist, "Whatever the wisdom might be, we confess that Allah's command is surely beneficial to human beings. Whether we know the wisdom or not, Allah's commands remain obligatory."

Since Muslims are forbidden from eating meat of strangled animals, those beaten or gored to death, those killed by fall or mangled by beasts of prey such as lion, fox, hyena and the like, the jurist observed that some Muslims are scared about the fate of birds (chickens) slaughtered at the farm.

He however added that contrary to the insinuations, the Sharia Court team was impressed with what it saw at the farm.

The Khadi presented the certificate to a director of the company, Mr. Hunter Coetzee, who told Daily Trust that the firm decided to invite the Sharia Court to allay fears as to the procedures adopted for slaughtering among their customers especially Muslims.

Speaking with Daily Trust correspondent, the Emir of Shonga said the Halal certification would "dispel any rumour, any fear on the procedure adopted in slaughtering these chickens".